


When A Witch Goes To War

by Queen_Martia



Series: Camileda AU [5]
Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: ADHD Luz Noceda, Bisexual Luz Noceda, F/F, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Hair Braiding, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Language, Non-Sexual Intimacy, adhd camilia noceda, also, for amity not for luz, from camilia's exes, i love her but i hate her but i love her, lilith is a jealous bitch, mild slut shaming, protective camilia noceda, protective eda, talking about feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:20:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26490295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queen_Martia/pseuds/Queen_Martia
Summary: Camilia and Eda take Luz and her friends to the Covention. What happens next will not shock you.
Relationships: Camilia Noceda & Luz Noceda, Eda Clawthorne & Lilith Clawthorne, Eda Clawthorne/Camilia Noceda, Luz Noceda & Willow Park & Gus Porter, Luz Noceda/Willow Park
Series: Camileda AU [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1908874
Comments: 46
Kudos: 311





	When A Witch Goes To War

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Berlynn_Prime0](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Berlynn_Prime0/gifts).



> GUYS. Guys we have fanart!!!  
> https://http-primebi.tumblr.com/post/629278575993995264/not-really-in-the-fic-but-like-was-inspired-by  
> https://http-primebi.tumblr.com/post/629357226299179008/you-are-a-fool-if-you-think-im-done-drawing-for
> 
> Go follow http-primebi on tumblr. They are lovely and make art and I will die for them  
> https://http-primebi.tumblr.com/ 
> 
> Also- thank you to everyone who's been leaving comments so far! You are feeding my little author heart and it makes me so happy, even if it's just "aww gay!" or "lilith's gonna get her teeth kicked in" or something short. Seriously, it makes my day whenever I get a comment.
> 
> EDIT: Changed the explanation for where Luz's dad is after finding out she's afro-latina to avoid unfortunate implications.

When she woke in the morning, it was with hair in her mouth. Camilia sputtered and waved a sleep-slow hand in front of her face, dragging gray locks out of her mouth with a groan. The woman next to her mumbled something in her sleep and shifted, tugging at the blanket.

Camilia rubbed the sleep from her eyes, reaching for her glasses. She knew she’d put them down somewhere around here. After a moment, her fingers brushed against the bridge, and she pulled them on with a sigh.

Confusion faded into memory of last night as she took in the Owl House, soft golden sunlight filtering through the windows. Eda was on the air mattress beside her, dozing peacefully, looking twenty years younger than she normally did. Camilia felt a bit of heat go through her at the memory- how Eda’s cursed form had insisted on keeping her within arm’s reach, the kiss, and- she laughed softly, remembering Luz’s utter disgust at the idea of her mother having a sex life.

Camilia changed out of the sweats she’d worn last night and into a floral-print top and black shorts- she didn’t get to feel fashionable very often, but she wanted to look nice today. She put her hair up into a loose ponytail and headed into the kitchen. It took her a few minutes, but she eventually managed to whip up some pancakes.

Luz padded into the kitchen with a yawn, King hanging off her shoulder. _“Buenos días, Mami_ ,” she mumbled, giving her hand a squeeze and sitting down at the table. “What’re you making?”

“Pancakes.” Camilia handed her daughter a plate with three on it already. “Sorry they don’t have blueberries, but knowing the Boiling Isles, the blueberries would _turn_ you blue by, I don’t know, poisoning you.”

King shook his head. “Nah, they just strangle you. Gotta skewer them before you can eat them.”

“Of course they do.” She placed down a pancake to King, who swallows it down with a single gulp. “Careful, or you’ll choke.”

King scoffed dismissively. “Please. The King of Demons does not choke!”

Luz scratched her fingers along his head with a smile. “Of course you don’t, King.”

Eda stumbled into the kitchen, eyes still closed from sleep. “S’mthing smells good,” she mumbled, faceplanting into Camilia’s back with a yawn. “What’re you makin’?”

“Again, pancakes.”

“Mm.” Eda twined her arms around Camilia’s waist gently, practically purring. “You smell good.”

Camilia rolled her eyes at that. “No, I smell like sweat and dirt.”

“Yeah, but under that. It’s you.” Eda inhaled deeply, humming. “Like a warm house in a snowstorm. And the ground after it rains.”

“Very poetic.”

“That’s called petrichor,” Luz chimed in around a mouthful of pancake.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Camilia scolded gently. Ever since she was little, Luz has taken too-big bites, eating like someone’s going to take away her food- she didn’t need another choking hazard. “And what happened to all that faux-disgust from earlier?”

Luz shrugged. “Mami, you’re smiling. As weird as you and Eda being… like that is, you’re happy with her. So I _guess_ I can forgive it this time.”

“Well, thank you for your magnanimity.” Camilia nudged Eda softly. “C’mon, I need to sit down.”

“Must I?” Still, Eda released her with a sigh, shuffling over to sit down at the table. “We’re selling human junk today, so I’m gonna need your expert expertise.”

“Oxymoron,” Camilia told her as she placed a plate of pancakes down in front of Eda. “Mija, c’mere, you’ve got a strand of hair sticking up.”

“ _Mooom!_ ” Luz whined as Camilia tried to wrangle her hair into something presentable. “Mom, I’m not a baby, you don’t need to do my hair for me.”

“Hush, you’re my baby.” Camilia pressed a kiss to both of Luz’s temples, pride bubbling in her chest. “Look at you- a week here and you’re learning magic. Hopefully you’ll learn some responsibility too.”

“Mom…” Luz trailed off, a look of shame coming on her face. She sighed, poking at one of her pancakes. “I want to, believe me, but it’s so… hard.” She waved her hands in front of her face, a frustrated sigh on her lips. “It’s so, so easy to forget what I’m supposed to do, and I don’t realize how wrong I am until it’s all falling down around me. I want to focus, but I physically can’t.” She sighed, putting her head in her folded arms. King curled over her arms protectively. “I’m sorry.”

Camilia remembered her conversation with her coworkers a few days ago, and reached a hand out to rub over Luz’s ears gently. “It’s not your fault, Mija. And… I’m sorry for making you think it was.” When Luz didn’t say anything in response, she went on. “I wasn’t going to send you to Reality Check to stifle your creativity, but because you were actively endangering other people. You understand that, right?”

“Wait, what?” Luz picked her head up, confusion written on her face.

“Mija, there’s a reason the snakes were the final straw. The auditions and try-outs disturbed your classmates, and the griffin was troublesome, but the snakes actively put people in danger.” Camilia gave Luz’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “You didn’t mean to hurt people, but that’s what your actions did. It’s the same idea as…” she sighed with remorse. “It’s the same idea in that I meant to help you realize that your actions have consequences, but I nearly ended up isolating you. What we mean doesn’t matter- what matters is what we _do_.”

Luz nodded, her eyes dark with thought. “I’ll… think about that.” She stood, yawning. “C’mon, King. Let’s grab the stuff!”

“It’s in the brown chest,” Eda called after them, a warm look in her eyes. She yawned and stretched. “Ah, I needed that. Thanks, sugar.”

Camilia rolled her eyes affectionately. “Sure, honey.” She couldn’t help the laugh at the small blush that came on Eda’s face- one perk of having darker skin was that no one could see it when you were embarrassed. “Oh, so you can dish it out, but you can’t take it?” she posited.

“I’ll show you dishing it out,” Eda growled, pulling Camilia into her lap.

Camilia laughed, her fingers going to Eda’s absolute mane of hair. “Not in front of Luz and King, you cougar.” She paused, tilting her head. “Your hair is so thick, _mi lechuza_. How do you keep it groomed?”

“Oh, I don’t.” Eda shook her head, and a pile of junk fell from her hair. “Most of the time I just leave it out or bunch it up.”

Camilia’s eye twitched.

“Mija! Grab my brush and hair ties, we’re fixing this!”

Eda complained the whole time as Camilia bullied her onto the couch, Luz coming in with Eda’s stuff in her arms, and King carrying Camilia’s hairbrush and ties. “Hey! I am the owner of the Owl House, the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles, and I will not be manhandled like this!”

“Hush,” Camilia told her, running her fingers through Eda’s hair. She spent the next several minutes undoing the various knots hidden under the bulk of hair, picking out bits of debris and litter. “Alright, this might be a bit cold,” she warned Eda as she spritzed her hair down with a mix of water and conditioner. Eda relaxed under her touch as she combed through the bulk of hair. “Do you want me to braid it, or would you prefer if I left it loose?”

“You can braid it if you want,” Eda said, leaning against her.

Camilia’s hands quickly fell into a pattern she hadn’t used since girlhood, humming softly. “Mija, do you remember when we went to visit Tio Rafael?”

Luz nodded, flipping through her Azura book. “Wasn’t that when you punched out cousin Leandro?”

Camilia winced. Luz had just been a toddler, so she hadn’t expected her daughter to remember that. “… yes. Yes it is.”

Luz hummed. “What did he say to make you do that, anyway? You’re not really a violent person.” She laughed softly. “That’s actually the opposite of your job, honestly.”

Camilia groaned. “I’d rather not repeat it. To make a long story short, he was mad that I had you out of wedlock, and said some rather… unsavory things about you.”

Luz sits up. “Wait, so he slut-shamed you? Not cool!”

Camilia shrugged. “I could live with that. It was when his insults became about you that I got mad.” Luz was the best thing to ever happen to her, and Leandro calling her precious child a bastard had been enough to make her see red.

Luz fixed her with a look. “What was Dad like?”

Camilia sighed and leaned back. He'd died before she'd even learned she was pregnant, only a few short months after they'd started dating. "He was... kind. A bit spacy, and he had his head in the clouds most of the time, but when things got serious I knew I could count on him. He gave more than he had, but it was always done out of kindness." She cupped Luz's cheek in her hand. "I wish you could have met him. He would've loved you, I just know it."

Eda frowned. "What happened?"

"There was an accident." Camilia's hands stilled in Eda's hair, the pain numbed after all these years but still aching with loss. "He was heading out to work, and a drunk driver hit him while he was crossing the road. The medics said that he died instantly." She remembered the horror of the phone call, how she'd rushed to the scene to find a body bag and several police cars. She'd been heartbroken for weeks after that, the sadness replaced with anger after the driver had walked away with a suspended sentence. "It was only a few weeks after that when I learned I was pregnant with you, Mija."

Luz sighed, leaning into her mother's leg. "I'm sorry, Mama."

"Mija, what are you sorry about? It's not your fault."

"I know, it's just..." Luz struggled for the words for a moment. "I wish it hadn't been so hard for you."

Camilia shrugged, resuming her task of taming Eda's hair. "It's been fifteen years since then, Mija. I've had plenty of happiness inbetween. It's just that the tragedies stick out more in retrospect." She pressed a kiss to her daughter's cheek, ignoring her protests. "I'm more than my baggage, I promise you that much."

Eda took one of Camilia's hands in her own. "For what it's worth, I wish you'd gotten more time with him."

Camilia blinked. "That might be the sweetest thing you've ever said to me."

Eda growled, reaching up to ruffle Camilia's hair. "Hey! I am trying to be supportive, do not mock me!"

"I'm not, I'm not." Camilia twisted another strand of hair in with the braid. "Almost done, hold still."

"Mm." Eda was quiet for a few moments. "I missed this."

"What, having your hair braided?"

"I mean, yeah, but just... this. Nice, quiet days with people I trust." Eda purred as Camilia rubbed along the edge of her ear. "Ex-boyfriends don't really last long, and, well, I've never really had an ex-girlfriend before." She leaned back against Camilia. "Here's hoping I never do."

That made something warm and sentimental run through Camilia, but Luz rolled her eyes. "Either put a ring on it or be quiet."

"Well, if you insist-"

"Ugh, I wasn't serious!" Luz buried her face in her book to Eda and King's laughter. "How much longer until we can leave?"

"Just a second, Mija." Camilia tied the end of the braid with one of her stronger ties, humming. “There. All done.”

Eda stood, hands going to her hair. “Huh. I like it.” She grabbed her bag, grinning. “C’mon, then! We’ve got some idiots to sell to.”

Strangely, the market was deserted when they got there. Camilia glanced around the area. “Is there a reason that no one is out today?”

Eda narrowed her eyes. “This must be an omen. Something terrible must be happening.”

“Luz!” Willow and Gus came running up, something clutched in Gus’s hand. Gus panted, holding out the paper. “Something amazing is happing today!”

Luz examined the poster. “A covention? What the heck is a covention?

Eda groaned, leaning against her staff. “It’s a scam, is what it is.”

Willow ignored Eda’s complaining, her hands twitching with energy. “It’s where witches from all covens come together to show off what they have to offer, to show young witches their options before choosing a coven. Look, they even have a mystery guest this year!”

Eda rolled her eyes. “Mystery guest, schmistery guest. It’s still a scam.”

“Eda,” Camilia scolded gently.

“What? It’s true.” Eda leaned against the wall, her hands behind her head like she was posing for a photo shoot. “I never joined a coven for a reason. Sure it's like a fun club for witches, but you're also giving up your magical independence to be part of a crooked system.”

Willow made an offended sound, and Eda blinked. “Er, but you know, no judgement.” She made a circle in the air with her finger, creating a ball of flame that stayed aloft for a moment before going up in smoke. “Besides, I haven’t been to one since we were girls, so-“

“ _We?”_ Luz repeated, a wicked grin on her face. Eda stammered, trying to save face, but Luz continued. “Who’s ‘we’? You have a mysterious past! Now we have to go!”

“Lulu, remember that talk we had about respecting privacy?” Camilia chided. “Still, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to learn more about magic.” She tucked a lock of hair behind Luz’s ear. “Eda, is the stall going to be alright without us?”

Eda bit her lip, looking conflicted. “Well, yes, but I’d rather you not go at all.” She groaned and tapped the butt of her staff on the ground, causing her stand to pack itself up. “Then again, if I don’t come with you, they might sucker you in with their lies. They’re slippery like that.”

“What about the posters?” Camilia asked as they walked with the kids to the covention area.

Eda grinned and held up the end of her braid. “I’ve got a fool-proof disguise, thanks to you.”

Camilia laughed softly at that. “Alright, but if they catch you, I’ve never met you in my life.”

“That’s not what you said last night.” At Camilia’s flustered look, Eda snickered and snuck her hand into Camilia’s. “C’mon, let’s get this disaster show on the road.”

“Oh, hush.” Camilia didn’t exactly gasp, but she was certainly impressed by the wide array of magic the witches inside the covention hall were using. “Dang. If job fairs in our world were this interesting, I wouldn’t have wasted half of my twenties bouncing from part-time to part-time.”

Eda tilted her head. “Part-time?”

“Er, part-time job.” Camilia couldn’t help the tension in her shoulders at the memory. “After I graduated college, I didn’t really know what to do with myself. I mostly spent that time trying to work off student debt and attempting to stay alive. It’s not exactly a time I’m proud of.”

Eda hummed, rubbing her thumb along Camilia’s knuckles. “So, what made things change?”

Camilia smiled as she saw Luz receive a cookie from the Baking Coven that turned her hair various different colors. “My daughter did. I never planned on having kids, but when I realized I was pregnant, I wanted to make things better.” She heaved a soft, sad sigh. “I guess, at the time, it was easier to make things better for someone else than it was to make things better for myself.”

Eda gave her a sad look. “You deserve to be happy, Cam.”

“I know that now, but back then I wasn’t in the healthiest of places. My boyfriends kept either cheating on me or leaving me, and it just felt like one dead end after another.” She fiddled with her watch, fingers running along the smooth grooves of the band. “Once I had someone else to care about, though, it gave me a motive- a reason to care.” She smiled as Luz ran from one booth to the next, her hand firmly in Willow’s, both girls grinning from ear to ear. “When I say that Luz is the best thing to ever happen to me, it’s not hyperbole.”

Luz ran up to Camilia, practically bouncing in her step. “Mami! The covens are so cool!”

Eda scoffed. “Sure, they seem cool, but watch.” She pointed out a young man signing up for the Illusion coven. “Watch closely, Luz. When you join a coven, all your other magic is sealed away.” The boy shuddered as a wiring layer was placed on his arm. His hair seemed to desaturate, and he gave a soft moan. Eda shook her head in remorse. “From now on, that kid will only be able to make illusions.” Eda twisted her fingers, conjuring up a ball of flame again, along with a ball of water. “Since I never joined a coven, I can do every kind of magic. That's why I'm the most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles.”

“I thought it was training and creativity?” Camilia commented.

Eda shrugged. “Well, yes, those are also part of it. But I had to train and get creative in order to get away with it for so long.”

Camilia hummed. “Y’know, you have a point. In our world, you don’t have to pick a career and stick to it- you can up and decide at any age to change your life. This just seems… restrictive.”

Willow shrugged. “It’s the Titan’s will. Mixing magic will just bring us back to the Savage Ages.”

“Oh, so us normal folk mixing magic is bad, but when the Emperor’s Coven does it, suddenly it’s okay?” Eda knelt down, pinching Willow’s cheeks gently. “You shouldn’t have to bow to the whims of that tyrant to do what you love, kiddo. This whole system is broken.”

There was a flurry of whispering around them, and a guard began advancing. Camilia tugged Eda through the mass of stalls and booths, ushering the kids with them. “’They won’t notice me’, you said. ‘I have a perfect disguise’, you said.”

“Well, I thought I did.” Eda pulled up her hood and ducked into a corridor, pulling Gus and Luz with her. Camilia tugged Willow out of the way as a column of guards stormed past. After a tense moment, she released a breath. “Well. That was exciting.”

“That’s one word for it,” Camilia muttered. “You kids alright?”

Luz nodded, still clinging to Eda’s hand. “We could hide in the auditorium. That’s where they’re having the special guest-“ Eda groaned at that, but Luz went on, “-so there’s going to be a lot of people there, and it’ll be dark enough to hide us. Plus, I want to decide this for myself.”

Eda paused. “That’s… actually a good point.”

Sure enough, the auditorium was crowded, though there was enough room for them to all sit together, the kids in the row in front of the adults. Eda yawned and stretched her arm over Camilia’s shoulder, probably thinking she was subtle, and Camilia leaned into the touch with a hum. “You could have just asked,” she mumbled softly.

Eda gave her a warm smile. “Aw, but where’s the fun in that?”

The presentation started, and Camilia could see Eda’s point as the enforcers demonstrated their magic. “It’s flashy, but there’s no substance,” she murmured to her girlfriend- and _oh_ , wasn’t that a thought? She flicked a bit of confetti out of her face. “And what does he mean, ‘controlled magic’?”

Eda opened her mouth to answer, but the announcer spoke, “And now, I am pleased to introduce the esteemed leader of this coven and this year’s mystery guest. You know her, you love her- Lilith!”

Camilia felt Eda tense up beside her. She gave her hand a squeeze. “Hey, Eda? You okay?”

Eda’s eyes didn’t flicker from the stage as the raven-haired woman landed. “It’s been a while since I saw her.”

Luz turned around, eyes wide. “Mysterious past!”

Camilia ruffled her hair. “Didn’t you say you wanted to learn? Now’s your chance to learn.” Luz rolled her eyes but turned back to the presentation. Camilia felt Eda’s heartrate spike, and tugged on her wrist gently. “Do you want to get out of here?” Eda nodded, and Camilia leaned forward. “Mija, Eda and I are going to step outside real quick. Call me if something goes wrong, okay? _Te quiero._ ”

“ _Te quiero, Mama._ I’ll be fine.” Luz leaned against Willow, settling in her seat.

Eda’s breathing was pitching up as they exited the auditorium, her hands clenched tight. “That little- how dare she! ‘Humble origins’ my ass!”

Camilia sat them both down on a bench, pulling out a water bottle and chocolate bar. “Eat something and drink something-“

“Damnit Cam, I’m not one of your stupid patients!” Eda snapped, before her anger melted away. “That wasn’t- I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled.”

Camilia sighed, rubbing her shoulder gently. “I know how you’re feeling. And I promise, I’m not doing this because I’m a nurse.” She handed over the chocolate and water. “But drinking and eating will trigger your digestive system, and if you’re digesting then your body thinks the time to panic is over. Plus, getting some sugar in your blood and some water to replace what you sweat out should help tide you over, at least for a little bit.”

Eda gave her an appreciative smile. “You sure know a lot about your stuff, huh.”

Camilia shrugged. “It’s what I do best.”

Eda took a sip of the water and a bite of the chocolate before continuing. “Lily and I… she and I used to be close, back when we were kids. She was my best friend, and I always knew I could count on her to have my back. But when she joined the Emperor’s Coven…” Eda trailed off, her hands clenching for a moment before Camilia smoothed them out again. “She changed. She didn’t see me as an equal- only as an embarrassment to her. Something to be tamed and controlled.”

Camilia nodded. “And seeing her today brought up all those bad memories?”

“Well… not all of them were bad.” She fiddled with her nails. “But I can’t deny that being isolated from her hurts. I just wish I knew why she hated me so much.”

“Do you know that she hates you?” Camilia asked.

“Well… no.”

Camilia shrugged, interlocking her fingers with Eda’s. “Well, maybe this is your chance to make things right with her. Find out how to solve the problems that drove you two apart.”

A prim voice cut through the quiet din of the covention. “Sister?”

Camilia glanced up to see the presenter, Lilith, standing among a group of children. The witch gave a cold smile and finished signing an autograph. “It’s been so long since I’ve last seen you. What are you wearing?” She clasped her hands together, looking like the ideal of prim perfectionism. “You look like some sort of trash collector. Oh, wait, you are. At least your hair looks nice- nicer than it usually does, anyway.”

Camilia glared Lilith down. “Hey, shut it.”

Lilith turned a cold blue eye on her. “And… who are you, exactly? Edalyn’s new pet human?”

Camilia opened her mouth to answer but was cut off as Eda took her face in her hands and kissed her, hot and fast and angry. Camilia stared in shock for a moment before her eyes fluttered shut and she melted into it, all thoughts except confusion and mild arousal fleeing her mind for the few brief moments their mouths were connected. She was left dumbstruck as Eda pulled away with a smirk. “This,” Eda crowed proudly, “is Camilia Noceda. Resident nurse extraordinaire.”

Lilith’s smile strained under the clear irritation just beneath the surface. “I… see. Well, pardon my poor manners.” She slid her gaze over to Camilia before she turned to the children. “Well, that’s all for today, little ones. Run along, now.”

As soon as the children were out of earshot, she fixed Eda with a glare. “You shouldn’t be here, you’re a wanted criminal!” Her eyes widened, and genuine joy filled them for a moment. “Unless- I don’t believe it! You’re here to join the Emperor’s Coven!”

Eda laughed, loud and raucous. “Yeah, right. In your dreams!”

The warmth fled from Lilith’s eyes, replaced by cold fury. “You think being covenless makes you so much smarter than everyone else. But while you run from the law like a degenerate, I'm mentoring the next generation of powerful witch students into the world.”

Camilia groaned softly, drawing the attention of Lilith. “And you, human- what are your intentions with my sister? Surely you must know the crimes she’s committed?”

“My name,” Camilia stressed, “is Camilia Noceda, not ‘Human’. And yes, I know everything. I trust Eda, and I’m willing to accept the risk.”

Lilith snorted dismissively. “Please. Don’t think I don’t know how many men Edalyn’s tossed away once they grew bored of her. You’re no different.”

Energy crackled around Eda’s fingers. “Don’t you dare talk that way to her,” she growled, golden fang glinting in the fake lights of the covention hall.

Lilith’s fingers scraped against her staff. “Edalyn-“

Luz’s voice cut through the tension. “Mom, I need your help! I accidentally challenged Amity to a witch's duel, and I think she's going to kill me all the way dead!” She clung to Camilia and Eda’s arms, tears in her eyes.

Lilith’s gaze flickered between Luz, to Eda, back to Luz, then to Camilia, and back to Luz again. “You- have a _child?_ ” she spat, blue light sparking from the edge of her staff. “You have a child with a _human_ , and you _still_ break the law? Don’t you care about how much danger you’re putting them in? How selfish are you?”

Camilia stepped between Luz and Eda, and Lilith, trying to keep her cool while still standing firm. “Enough. If you’re not here peacefully, then leave us alone.”

Lilith looked like she’d rather swallow a frog, but after a moment smoothed a precise hand down her hair. “Okay, Edalyn. For one day, you won’t have to hide from the law.” She tapped her staff against a pillar, and the various WANTED posters around the hall burnt up in cold fire. “But let’s see if your money is where your mouth is.” She shuffled off down a corridor, leaving the three of them alone in the covention hall.

Eda took a deep breath. “Alright, kid. Time to prepare for bloodshed.”

Luz looked up at the witch. “Whose blood?”

Eda blinked. “Anyone’s guess!” She laughed and gave Luz’s back a slap.

Willow came running up, Gus following close on her heels with King in his arms. “Luz, there you are! Are you okay?” She took Luz’s hand in her own, the other going up to her cheek. “Oh, why did you have to go and challenge Amity?”

Luz sniffled. “She was being a real jerk to you and King. I couldn’t just let her get away with it.”

Camilia wanted to groan and ream her daughter out for acting without thinking, but that would get them nowhere. “Alright, how much time do you have to prepare?”

“An hour.”

The group of six found a small side hallway, Luz frantically tracing out Light glyphs on her notebook paper. Gus sat beside her, watching her pencil with fascination. “That’s incredible- you’re making light out of paper!”

“Uh-huh,” Luz agreed absentmindedly, doodling out two more glyphs to fill the hallway.

Camilia paced back and forth, thinking. “Okay, so- one spell versus a trained witch. Remind me again why you thought this was a good idea?”

“I don’t _know_!” Luz wailed, burying her face in her hands.

“Hey, easy. We’ll figure this out- we always do. What’s our motto?”

“'Hard Work Never Fails', I know.” Luz rubbed at her eyes, trying to scrape away the tears flowing out. “But Amity is going to kill me!”

“We won’t let her.” Camilia tapped her toe against the ground. “Eda, do witches need to see to cast spells?”

“Not necessarily, but blinding her will help get the edge up.” Eda whirled her staff. “I mean, I could always set up traps-“

“ _No,_ ” Camilia said warningly. “If that gets discovered, you’ll both be taking heat for it. We don’t need to stoop to cheating when there are other ways to get the edge up.”

“Taking heat for- that’s it!” Luz slammed her book shut with a grin. “Willow, what are abominations weak to?”

“Uh…” Willow began to list off the various weaknesses on her fingers. “Excess water, cold snaps, and- fire!” She took Luz’s hands in her own. “Your lights are warm on their own, but if you increase the size of the circle-“

“The light will get bigger and hotter!” Gus whooped, picking King up and swinging him around. “When all you have is a light spell, everything starts looking like night!”

“Not how the saying goes, but we’ll work on it.” Camilia began rummaging around the area, searching for large pieces of paper. “Is there any rule against bringing in paper and pen into the arena?”

“None that I know of,” Eda said, kneeling down to rummage alongside her. “Generally, it’s only bringing weapons like spears and daggers in that’s frowned upon, but conjuring or making them in the arena is allowed.”

Camilia nodded. “Luz, we’re going to spend the next hour drawing as many Light glyphs as we can. Okay?”

“Okay.”

By the time the duel was due to begin, Luz had the glyph down by memory, able to draw it up in a few seconds flat. Camilia practiced alongside her, and while she still didn’t have as steady a hand as her daughter, it was a start. As they made their way to the auditorium, Camilia placed a gentle hand on Luz’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Mija. She’ll be underestimating you- use that to your advantage.”

Eda nodded, taking Luz’s hand in her own. “Go for the throat- don’t pull any punches, and don’t let her know what hit her.”

As they stepped into the sand pit, a guard stopped Camilia. “Only one mentor per student,” they told her.

Camilia sighed. “Mija, you’re going to do amazing. I know you will.” She wrapped her daughter up in a big hug, squeezing tight. “Remember- keep on your feet, and don't let her get her bearings.”

“I won't, Mami.” She squeezed back, before taking Eda’s hand and going out onto the field.

Camilia escorted the two kids up to the stands, Willow clutching onto her arm tightly. “Is Luz going to be okay?” she asked Camilia.

“Knowing her? She’ll find a way to win. If Luz is anything, it’s creative.” She ran a gentle hand down Willow’s head. “That Blight girl- Luz said she was being a jerk to you. Is everything alright?”

Willow sighed. “I don’t know. We used to be so close, but then one day she just turned on me- started mocking everything I did. I hate her. I _hate_ her!” Willow’s hands clenched up into fists, before releasing. “But then… _why_ do I still want her to be happy?”

“What do you mean?” Camilia asked.

Willow waved her hands around in frustration from lack of words. “I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s like she’s putting on a show for everyone- being a jerk because she, I don’t know, thinks it’s what other people want? But she’s hurting herself with it, and she’s hurting me, and…” Willow sighed again, leaning against Gus. “I just want her to stop being so awful to herself and to everyone around her. Does that make sense?”

Camilia nodded. “You’re a compassionate girl, Willow. And you’re not wrong for feeling this way.” Lilith cast some sort of spell to amplify her voice, and Camilia pulled the two kids closer to her. “C’mon- let’s cheer for Luz.”

As expected, the Blight girl- Amity, started off with an abomination, as Willow called it, though it was much larger than any she’d previously cast. Luz shrieked and scrambled to the far wall, giving her just enough time to scribble a Light glyph into a piece of paper and slam it into the abominations’ gooey body. The light exploded out of the monstrosity, sending bits of gunk flying across the field.

“She’s doing it!” Gus cheered, standing up in his seat only to shrink back down as a chunk came soaring a few feet over their heads.

“Careful,” Camilia scolded, but she could feel the excitement bubbling up in her chest. Her daughter- her light- was doing it!

Amity traced another circle in the dirt, but Luz slapped down another glyph, sending a bright ball of light directly into Amity’s eyes. The girl shrieked and stumbled back, swatting at her face as she drew a haphazard circle in the air, forcing the strewn bits of abomination gunk across the arena to coalesce into a humanoid form again.

Luz traced another glyph, sending a ball of light into the abomination’s torso and boiling it from the inside out. “It’s over, Amity!”

“No!” the girl shrieked, anger and terror in equal parts of her voice. She got to her feet and made a desperate punch at Luz’s shoulder, but to Camilia’s horror her daughter was sent flying back nearly fifteen feet. She blinked out the last of the blinding light, her rage turning to shock. “How-“

Eda growled, grabbing Amity by the shoulder and peeling a sticker from the back of her neck. She muttered something to Amity, whose face fell. Tears began to streak from her eyes as she ran from the arena, followed shortly thereafter by a dazed Luz.

“What happened? Did she win?” Willow asked.

“I don’t know- but we’re finding out.” She took the kids’ hands in her own and marched down to the arena. As they got closer, Camilia picked up bits of Eda’s taunting of Lilith.

“-cheated! Welcome down to my level!”

“ _Mi lechuza,_ what’s going on?” Camilia asked, plucking the sticker from Eda’s hand. It took her a moment to place it. “Is this… this is a glyph, right?”

“Yep!” Eda crowed proudly. “But this is construction-only, and a power modifier at that! Which means she broke Lily’s stupid rules!”

“It’s only because I knew you would!” Lilith spat, her cool mask replaced with genuine anger.

“We didn’t,” Camilia growled. “Luz made her own glyphs, and with a single spell and some ingenuity, was able to take down one of your students. Own up to that.”

“Oh, what do you know?” Lilith snarled.

“Apparently, a lot.”

“Shut up!” she yelled, pulling out her staff and aiming for a strike at Camilia. The woman braced her arms for impact-

Only for Eda’s staff to connect with Lilith’s, struggling for a moment before shoving her back. “Cam! Take the kids and get out of here.”

“What about you?” Camilia asked, putting herself between the kids and Lilith.

Eda gave a smirk. “Don’t worry, sugar. They don’t call me ‘the greatest’ for nothing.”

As arcs of magic connected over the sand, Camilia pulled Gus and Willow out of the auditorium and into the main area of the building. “Is anyone hurt?” she asked them.

Gus whimpered, clutching at his wrist. “A piece of debris hit me. I don’t think it’s broken, but…”

“Here, let me see.” Camilia felt along the bones and joint, pausing when she felt Gus wince in pain. “Well, nothing’s broken, but you should try not to use it for the next couple days.” She pulled a tube of bruise reducing cream out of her emergency bag. “Here- it should help keep the swelling down.”

Gus looked up at her with wonder in his eyes. “You are so awesome.”

“I try to be,” she laughed softly. Her eyes caught on Amity shuffling out of a hallway, followed afterwards by Luz. “Willow, Gus, why don’t you and Luz talk for a bit? I’ll meet you outside.”

The kids split off to talk while Camilia followed the Blight girl to one of the corners. Amity looked up at her with a glare, but said nothing. Camilia sighed and sat down beside her. For a few moments, neither of them spoke, but eventually Camilia pulled a bar of chocolate out of her bag. “You hungry?” At Amity’s expression, she rolled her eyes. “It’s not poisoned. Yes or no?”

Amity shoved the chocolate away. “I don’t need your pity.”

“It’s not pity, it’s compassion.” Camilia watched as Luz played with her friends. “Don’t worry- no one is going to blame you for this.”

“Yes they will,” Amity mumbled sullenly into her arms.

“If they do, they’re the ones who have problems. You’re, what, fourteen?” Amity nodded. “You’re still just a kid. You were under the direct supervision of a high-ranking member of society. This is not your fault.”

“Yes it is!” Amity hissed. “I should have known-“

“No.” Camilia turned to her. “You are a child, and she is the adult. She made a choice to prioritize her ego over your wellbeing, and that is her fault, not your own. You are not responsible for what she did, and you aren’t a failure for trusting her.”

Amity sniffled and mumbled something unintelligible. Camilia tilted her head. “Come again?”

“I _said_ , I don’t understand. She- Luz screws up, so much more than me, but you don’t yell at her! How else is she going to learn unless you make it clear that failure isn’t an option?” Amity’s voice began to tremble. “She’s a detriment to your societal standing, and you just- don’t care? How is she ever going to get better when she’s rewarded for being useless?”

Amity’s words made a chill go down Camilia’s spine. Maybe she didn’t recognize what she was saying, but Camilia had gone through several classes on this subject, and she couldn’t just let this be. “Amity, what you’re describing is emotional abuse. Do your parents-“

“Don’t!” she snarled, though there was a crack in her voice. “They aren’t- my parents are not-“ she struggled for words. “I am not abused,” she hissed.

“Okay,” Camilia said. “I believe you. But do your parents do those things?”

Amity’s silence said enough. Camilia swallowed around the bile rising in her throat- she couldn’t do anything about this, not today, but she wasn’t going to let this girl waste away in a toxic environment for any longer. “Your abominations- are they normally as big as they were in the fight?”

Amity shook her head, rubbing at her tears. “No- no matter how hard I train, it just…”

“Well, being able to conjure them at all is still a show of skill and training. That’s something you should be proud of.”

Amity gave her a look, before turning away with a soft, choked laugh. “Of course a human would say that.” She stood, then shuffled her feet. “Um… the chocolate bar. Can I… still have it?”

“Of course.” Camilia handed it over to her with a smile. “Take care, Miss Blight.”

She watched the girl leave, before going over to where Eda had joined the kids. She frowned. “Your braid,” she mumbled, running her hands through Eda’s tousled hair. “Did you take it out?”

“Nah, but the fighting with Lily knocked it loose. Sorry.” Eda purred, looping her arms around Camilia’s neck. “C’mon, let’s get home before she realizes I tied her shoelaces together.”

An irritated shriek was heard from the direction of the auditorium, and Eda winced. “That’s our cue!”

As the group left the covention area, Willow’s hand in Luz’s, Eda’s arm over Camilia’s shoulder, and King in Gus’s arms, Camilia let her thoughts drift. There would be things that needed doing in the future, but for now, with her family around her, this was enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, because I've been getting questions about this- Lilith is going to be an asshole in this series, and she's going to have to work hard at the finale in order to atone. Heck, when they finally get home she isn't so much "forgiven" as she is given a second chance.  
> Also, the Blight kids are eventually going to be adopted out to a responsible adult (not Lilith) and escape their shitty home life. Maybe this is just me, but having Amity change for the better without addressing what made her so bitter in the past seems... odd? To me. So in this, she's going to get out of a toxic environment and into a healthy one, because no kid should be left in an abusive family.  
> Feel like I should clarify, I still think the Owl House is phenomenal, and I absolutely adore it so far, it's just that this one thing seemed odd.


End file.
